Superblood Wolfmoon
Summary
Superblood Wolfmoon was the second single from Gigaton—a driving rocker with a title drawn from a rare astronomical event on January 20-21, 2019. After the experimental shock of “Dance of the Clairvoyants,” this gave fans a more recognizable Pearl Jam sound. The song peaked at #4 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart—their highest rock chart position until “Dark Matter” hit #1 in 2024. Despite the celestial title, Eddie Vedder revealed the song is simply about love: “It’s about loving someone so much, you could howl at the moon” NME .
Key Details
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Album | Gigaton (2020) |
| Track Number | 2 |
| Release Date | February 18, 2020 (single) |
| Duration | 3:49 |
| Writer | Eddie Vedder |
| Producers | Pearl Jam, Josh Evans |
| Chart Performance | #4 Mainstream Rock, #17 Hot Rock & Alternative |
| Live Debut | May 3, 2022, San Diego |
| Live Performances | 17 (per setlist.fm) |
Background & Inspiration
The Astronomical Event
A “super blood wolf moon” combines three phenomena: a supermoon (moon at closest point to Earth), a lunar eclipse (giving the moon a reddish “blood” color), and the January wolf moon (named for wolves heard howling in winter). This convergence occurred January 20-21, 2019, generating significant media coverage.
The Sloppy, Wild Demo
Producer Josh Evans described how the song arrived:
“Eddie came in with a pretty fleshed-out demo that he had recorded himself with some guitars laid over a drum machine program. It was kind of sloppy and wild, and the guys just wanted to capture that same messy vibe and expand on it a bit within a full band context.”
— Josh Evans Variety
The band tracked it all in the same room at the same time, preserving the demo’s raw energy.
Lyrics & Meaning
The cosmic imagery isn’t really about astronomy. Vedder roots the celestial references in something deeply personal:
“It’s about loving someone so much, you could howl at the moon.”
— Eddie Vedder NME
The title phrase functions as incantation more than description. “Super” suggests magnitude, “blood” implies passion, “wolf” evokes instinct, “moon” connects to mystery. Combined, they become a verbal representation of overwhelming feeling—love so intense it connects you to primal forces.
Composition & Production
Unconventional Structure
Despite its driving energy, the song’s structure proved difficult to categorize:
“For a while, what I was calling ‘chorus,’ Ed was calling ‘verse.’ This is them teetering on the edge a little bit, and it can be a little unsettling for the listener, because you don’t know what’s coming next. The normal roadsigns for what a song is aren’t there.”
— Josh Evans Variety
Musical specifications:
- Key: D major
- Tempo: ~145 BPM
- Duration: 3:49
- Style: Driving rock, riff-based
Studios: Pearl Jam Headquarters (Seattle), Horseback Court Studios (Montana) Recording Period: 2017-2019 Additional Personnel: Josh Evans (keyboards)
Live Performances
| Metric | Data |
|---|---|
| Live Debut | May 3, 2022, Viejas Arena, San Diego |
| Total Performances | 17 |
| Typical Placement | Early set, energy builder |
The 2020 tour debut was prevented by COVID-19. When Pearl Jam returned to touring in 2022 after more than two years away, “Superblood Wolfmoon” received its live premiere.
Personnel
| Member | Role |
|---|---|
| Eddie Vedder | Vocals, guitar |
| Stone Gossard | Guitar |
| Mike McCready | Guitar |
| Jeff Ament | Bass |
| Matt Cameron | Drums |
Production: Pearl Jam, Josh Evans (also keyboards)
Context
At track 2, “Superblood Wolfmoon” provides an energy jolt after the atmospheric opener “Who Ever Said.” This sequencing sets up the genre-bending “Dance of the Clairvoyants” that follows—listeners experience reflective Pearl Jam and driving Pearl Jam before encountering experimental Pearl Jam.
As the second single (released after the divisive “Dance of the Clairvoyants”), the song reassured fans that Gigaton contained recognizable rock alongside its experiments.
Related Songs
- “Spin the Black Circle” (Vitalogy): Fast, driving rock
- “Mind Your Manners” (Lightning Bolt): Similar quick energy
- “Got Some” (Backspacer): Immediate rock energy